Posted by Garda claim that ‘citizen journalists’ provoke them and only post edited clips – even though most clips are Live videos
Members of the public are deliberately filming Gardaí while on duty in an effort to provoke them, a senior officer has warned. Inspector Amanda Flood says certain citizen journalists aim to antagonize Gardaí and later share edited footage of the incidents online, reports The Mirror.
Philip Dwyer, pictured above, is one of the best known citizen journalists in the country.
“Citizen journalists are entering high-pressure, emotionally intense, and potentially dangerous situations, deliberately provoking members to get a reaction, then clipping that reaction and uploading it in the hope of it going viral,” she said.
Inspector Flood, who is stationed at Store Street in central Dublin, made the comments at the annual Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors conference in Killarney, Co Kerry. The conference is due to discuss a motion calling on Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan to tackle the growing influence of citizen journalists and the challenges they pose to policing, reports The Mirror.
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She noted that this kind of filming is starting to have an impact on Garda members. “There have been times where these individuals are right up in members’ faces, and it’s taking a personal toll — not just on the members but on their families too. Every Garda has a family, and that needs to be acknowledged,” she said.
Inspector Flood outlined three key areas for improvement: “Firstly, we need clear and practical guidelines for members on how to handle being filmed. Secondly, we need legal protections against online harassment, including targeted abuse and doxxing. And thirdly, management must support members who become victims of these actions,” reports The Mirror.
She also highlighted that some auditors have gone as far as filming victims of crime at Garda stations. “I believe Garda stations should be safe spaces for those seeking protection from abusers. If someone walks into a Garda station, they may be there to report a crime. Filming them puts them in danger,” she said.
“Before Christmas, there was a call out for anyone that was a victim of coercive control or domestic violence to come into the Garda station and report that. And there are cases whereby auditors have come in and filmed members of the public doing that, and that doesn’t put them in a safe space,” reports The Mirror.
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